Somto Cyril wants to play like Oscar Tshiebwe, feels at home at Kentucky

Physically, it’s hard to find a more impressive player in the class of 2024 than four-star center Somto Cyril. At 6-foot-11, 250 pounds, the Hamilton Heights Christian Academy standout is a beast in the paint, longer and stronger than the competition just about every time he steps on the floor.

He plays a bully brand of basketball, fighting to outwork you on both ends of the floor while chipping away at your endurance with constant body bumps and hip checks. It’s exhausting watching defenders try to guard Cyril, let alone actually having to do it.

“I think the energy I bring, the way I play the game. I don’t see anyone else doing it the way I do it,” Cyril told KSR at Adidas 3SSB Session I in Indianapolis. “Whenever I’m playing, I can get whatever I want. I think I’m the best player at my position.”

Cyril is raw offensively, limited to powerful dunks, lay-ins and jump-hooks. Much of his production comes from simply being bigger and stronger than the competition, but it’s production nonetheless. And as a member of the 2024 class, he still has two years to work on his game before arriving on a college campus. Again, you can’t teach 6-11, 250.

Coaches can see the long-term vision and have already begun exploring that possibility.

“(My recruitment is) going pretty well, talking to a bunch of different coaches,” Cyril told KSR. “I’ve gotten (offers from) Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, Georgetown, a bunch of them right now. It’s going really well. Hopefully by the end of the summer I’ll get more offers.”

It’s the second straight summer Cyril has been playing up an age group, playing for the Elite Amateur Basketball Tennessee (EAB) 17U squad on the 3SSB circuit. Playing in front of college coaches is not new for the four-star center, so there’s no pressure on him to perform. He simply goes out there and plays.

“It’s a lot of the same. I played 17U last year, so it’s not new to me,” Cyril said. “I bring the same energy I brought last year, same confidence I always have. It’s really good, no pressure on me.”

Among the schools that continue to watch and maintain contact? Kentucky.

“They speak to my coach. Coach Cal came to my practice one time,” Cyril told KSR.

Kentucky is a program the 6-foot-11 center has always been interested in. Growing up in Nigeria, Cyril had the Wildcats on his television whenever they played and saw it as a dream come true that they were interested in him as a basketball player.

Back in October, he took an unofficial visit to Lexington, a trip that left a lasting impact.

“I love the fans. The atmosphere is really, really nice down there,” Cyril told KSR. “The fans, whether they lose or when they win, it doesn’t matter. They treat you like family. You really feel at home when you’re down there on a visit. Everything was really nice, it was cool down there.”

One player that stood out in particular? None other than Oscar Tshiebwe, who would go on to earn consensus National Player of the Year honors. The Democratic Republic of the Congo native had a similar reputation out of high school: raw, but physical with a non-stop motor. He later developed into a future draft pick and college basketball superstar.

Following in Tshiebwe’s footsteps is something that intrigues Cyril.

“This season I watched the games, saw the way they used Oscar (Tshiebwe), the big dude,” he said. “He worked out really well. That’s a place I can match that energy and play like him. When I went down there on my visit, I met with him and we had a great conversation. We play similar games.”

That kind of development is exactly what Cyril is looking for in a college. He wants an opportunity to grow on the floor and have fun in the process.

“Wherever I go, I want it to be a place that’s going to use me in the best way and help me develop my game,” Cyril told KSR. “I want them to get me ready for the next level. I don’t want to go somewhere where they’re just going to sit me on the bench. Wherever I go, I want to be in the game and help my teammates, have fun with my teammates.”

There’s still a long way to go with Cyril, but the physical tools are there. Will Kentucky decide to take a shot?